Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-30

"Colin." she pursued hanging on his arm, edit
you know the English daisies are blooming.
| Come, and III show you clump OF them. Here
| sharp eyes spied them-mamma's smart ntth
/ mani
As she stood there prattling to Colin OF the rose
az his fathers coat and pleaded. "Take upi Tax
| upi" so he had 10 be hoisted upon the brOa(
shoulders. where he sat delighted. ciutching ri:
| fathers curly hair.
| "Well, come into supper" said Lucy.
An unseen spectator had been watching them
| behind the thick screen Of the Cherokee hedge
| ''Siy little chit" she sneered. thinking, WheI
| she saw Lucy, OF her own superb beauty that ha6
made her seem woman TO be worshiped.
| silky, yellow head, and wondering blue eyes, and
| the sturdy legs tramp1ng so brayely after hi:
mother. She thought OF her own child, whose fee
| had never learned 10 walk, and OF her wild grief
| as unreasoning and shOrt-lived as that OF an ami
mai at his death. Something like a sob swelled II
/ her throat.
If he had lived! On, my baby! I would have
| been a good woman" she murmured.
| As on the paper, charred and withered by IRE
there may still be cfscerned characters that wert
| once words and sentences, so In this womans sou
| there arose sudden cutlery for all she had for
feited and could never regain. The past rushed
never see her little angel-child again. He could
never know his wicked mother In heaven, nor love
her.
Like one in dream Colin watched his busy little
WIFE busting about the room, trying On Jacky's
apron and setting him in his high chair.
HIS gaze moved slowly over everything In the
softly In the wind the setter puppy hopefully
humping his feathery tail on the moor, the IRE
place Iiled with cedar boughs and the high mantel
piece with the vases upon II, and the old clock
whose busy ticking seemed to him like voice that
was fastening on 70 the END OF story oft told and
This was a picture he must TX In his mind that
ne might have II before him in the years that were
az know what yo,, oro ,ook,np ot r,o,, , -,
marked Lucy, her eyes following the direction Of
his, "you are wondering what became Of the
peacock-feather fan. Jacky got hold OF 1t some
they tore 1t TO pieces
m dave iE TO puppy echoed Jaeky beating
mother imprisoned the chubby hand.
colin eSSayed smile with his dry lips.
As he pushed back his chair and rose from the
have 10 across the river tonight to see roland
Tomorrow"
ION, Colin," cried Lucy, mournfully, 81 hate to
nave You stay out all night. I'm always afraid
some, hing VIII happen To you-that III never see
you again."
..Well, / needn't go until-until 10 o'clock.~
Jacky, who was always unpleaSantly wide awake
In the evening, was allowed to sit up In honor Of
his fathers expected departure. Lucy sat beside
arm. talking In her simple way, but he scarcely
heard her. His heart was full OF the many things
he wished to say TO her before they parted forever
yet he dared not speak any last words. His flesh
quivered whenever the clock struck.
Presently he sprang TO his Ieet, not daring to
Stay any longer.
Il must CO. Lucy" he said.
You'll come home early in the morning, won't
you Colin, dear?' she asked.
''IeS, I'll come home early"
"And must bring you thicker coat to wear, ~
added the thoughtful wife, because 1t may turn
chilly"
he took her in his arms and pressed her close
against his heart. He looked at the bright hair
lying upon his breast for the last time. Then he
10 obi rIn
went blck 10 his playthings as his father passed
out at the door.
But when colin was half way down the garden
path. he suddenly returned.
asked.
"My-my stick" he stammered.
May be It's in the corner. Why, you silly fell
low, you have 1t under your arm, she laughed,
her pretty face sparkling with smiles at his
stupidity.
Colin stood in the middle of the room, looking
haggardly about him. He gave a second embrace
10 his wife, and, without looking at Jacky, he
plunged out into the night.
Lucy held up Jacky at the door, that he might
ward into the darkness.
cry out, and he knew that the chubby fOrehnger
WAS pointing after him.
"Papas gone. Papa's gonew said Lucy, in the
singing tone supposed to be soothing to the infant
mind, and Colin heard the door Shut. 1t had
closed forever between him and them.
he stopped short In the middle OF the road.
ION God. can't leave them" he said with
sob.
sill he knew he must 60 on.
He rowed in hts Skin TO the appointed spOt. but
when he reached IL the woman was not there
he stood and waited, his heart plunging at every
chance noise. The sudden shrek Of an owl made
the cold drops start out upon his forehead. The
frogs laughed hoarsey from the neighboring
swamp, and the river flowed past, ghOstly In the
uncertain light. The white mist chung to the
water. The opposite bank was cOnjectural re-
gion, and the trees and bushes near ut hand had
the wavering, indistinct outlines OF things seen
In dream. There was no moon, but the sky was
thick with stars.
He strained his ear to catch the echo of an an
preaching football; but the murmurs Of the night
seemed 10 fall around him like veil of sound.
Her delay was both relief and a terror TO him
Must IL De? Must II be? HIS mind stumbled
again and again over the same dark thought
There were other WayS+One other way, mans
strength against wOman's-and In this lonely
spot.
MS clothes were dank with moisture, and his
limbs trembled beneath him. sim she did not
come.
Inc night was growing late steamboat
passed. in a great glare of light that streamed
from every pore. AS it approached the village it
lifted up mighty voice out Of the darkness-t6ree
deep melancholy notes that died into wall. He
and the rush and struggle OF the water as land
ing was made.
Hour alter hour passed, and he knew that day
was ut hand. III was more a feeling than an ap-
pearance. First the whip-poor-wilis rorebore to
cry. There was hush in the air: a peculiar
damp cold smell; every spear OF grass stood mo-
~ w.
The chill wind OF dawn began to rise bearing a
fresh scent OF earth and flowers He heard an I'm
easy cowbell here and there, and knew the cows
were getting on their feet. A calf bleated: hun
dred COCKS began TO call to each other from the
nelgnDorlnS farm houses Colin looked at the
sky. A moment before IL had been trembling with
stars; suddenly, II pail had been drawn across
IL, every star vanished. Then came the first bird
voice-a HIGH shrl cry OF two syliables far over
head that seemed TO fall from the upper air After
a few waking notes, harsh and OueruloJIs the
mOcking bird started oil into a clear whistlin0
cadence. Then all the birds began to sing at once
and above them all could be heard the thrush say.
Ing over and over again, Sweetly what he had said
before the close OF day.
There was growing brightness In the east
Colin looked around him with eyes that smarted
and felt filmy. A sudden sense of weakness and
emptiness came over him. He felt that he must
90 home; that he no longer cared what scheme
Annette's malice might be devising. All that he
wanted was TO get back TO his warm nest OF love
ana happiness.
When he reached the house he could scarcely
walk. and his feet stumbled at the threshold. He
knocked again and again. The windows were
barred and voiceiess. Suppose that the tude
ment OF God had struck his home and that Lucy
and the child had died in the night! Qroan
weled up from his heart. He hammered franti-
cally upon the door.
AT length timorous voice cried out: "Who's
there?"
..Colin-let me in quick"
Lucy opened the door and he staggered in
"Why. Colin" she cried, '.your clothes feel damp
and your hands are as cold as ice. Tn afraid vol,
are going 10 be sick"
Eyes I'm SICK said Colin, with chattertng teeth
'Let me go TO bed"
IL was late In the day when he awoke. with a
start from MS heavy slumber. He heard Jacky,
. on n FRI NJ NOR rCNll